BMC plans one card to pay parking and toll charges….Pandurang Mhaske
Now there no need to pay direct money for parking at pay-and-park zones demarcated by the civic body.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to introduce a single mobility card to pay at these places. The same card can be used to pay toll on highways.
BMC is still not organised about pay-and-park and new contracts have not been awarded. The old contractors are cheating BMC and motorists. The single mobility card has been introduced to keep a check on this.
“To bring more transparency, the BMC is going to introduce the system. The system will be centralised and monitored by the BMC through one server,” said Aseem Gupta, additional municipal commissioner. The card will be used to access the facility.
The server will store data recorded by hand-held devices at all of its 107 pay-and park lots across the city. It will ensure that the contractor is not overcharging the motorists. Every contractor will have to use the device, which will record the entry and exit of the vehicles. The occupancy of the parking lot will also be monitored.
“We are talking with Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation regarding the card. The scheme is actually by the central government,” said Gupta.
So far only two companies have forward for the implementation of the scheme.
“This system will help BMC decide parking charges according to the area. After a study of the scheme, parking rates in suburbs may reduce,” Gupta said.
Source: DNA, Page No: 5, Dated: December 15, 2010